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TUESDAY'S SCOREBOARD: HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL, Blue Mountain 14, Tri-Valley 2 .... North Schuylkill 10, Panther Valley 2 .... Pine Grove 6, Pottsville 3 .... Schuylkill Haven 8, Minersville 3 .... Marian 3, Shenandoah Valley 1 .... Nativity 11, Mahanoy Area 0 .... Williams Valley 21, Weatherly 12 .... HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL, Blue Mountain 13, Mahanoy Area 1 .... North Schuylkill 18, Panther Valley 0 .... Pine Grove 13, Pottsville 0 .... Tri-Valley 15, Nativity 0 .... Schuylkill Haven 7, Minersville 5 .... Williams Valley 25, Weatherly 0 .... Marian at Shenandoah Valley, ppd. April 2 .... Lourdes at Tamaqua, ppd. April 14 .... HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' TRACK, Minersville 108, Pine Grove 31 .... Pottsville 82, Tamaqua 67 .... Mahanoy Area 79, Marian 60 .... Mahanoy Area 84.5, Shenandoah Valley 51.5 .... Marian 76, Shenandoah Valley 51 .... Nativity 93, Schuylkill Haven 48 .... Nativity 119, Weatherly 10 .... Schuylkill Haven 112, Weatherly 28 .... HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' TRACK, Minersville 100, Pine Grove 40 .... Tamaqua 86, Pottsville 63 .... Marian 91, Mahanoy Area 50 .... Mahanoy Area 92, Shenandoah Valley 43 .... Marian 115, Shenandoah Valley 25 .... Schuylkill Haven 97, Nativity 43 .... Nativity 88, Weatherly 11 .... Schuylkill Haven 127, Weatherly 11
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T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll: Pine Grove tops initial rankings

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North Schuylkill coach Jack Flynn gathers his team for a meeting in the pitching circle during a Schuylkill League Division I game against Blue Mountain on March 27 at Dot Seidel Field. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)


The calendar hasn’t quite flipped to April just yet, but the cream of the Schuylkill League already is rising toward the top.

Pine Grove, which knocked off Tamaqua and Class 6A Whitehall in its last two games to improve to 4-0, takes the No. 1 spot in the initial T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll unveiled Monday.

The Cardinals have a huge week ahead, visiting Pottsville on Tuesday and traveling to North Schuylkill on Thursday for a game that will broadcast on WPPA/A-106 (JZ on play-by-play, Bob Lipsky on color commentary). Then, on Saturday, Pine Grove will host its annual Cardinal Classic, taking on Greater Nanticoke in the semifinals. Williams Valley and Upper Perkiomen will meet in the other semifinal. The consolation and championship games will follow at Stump Field.

Meanwhile in Division II, Williams Valley (5-0) has gotten out of the gates in a hurry, despite an extended basketball season that affected preseason practices. The Vikings made a statement Saturday by holding off rival Tri-Valley 7-5 in front of a big crowd in Hegins. A 4-0 week put Williams Valley at No. 2. So far, the Vikes have outscored their opponents (Line Mountain, Halifax, Marian, Shenandoah Valley and Tri-Valley) by 69-9.

Blue Mountain, under new head coach Paul Leonard after the passing of Mike Rollman, comes in at No. 3. The Eagles (4-1) won 11-3 at North Schuylkill last Thursday to establish themselves among the upper tier. Blue Mountain is playing a slew of underclassmen, including some freshmen in key starting positions. The only loss was a 4-2 setback to District 11 Class 6A power Emmaus (5-1).

Schuylkill Haven, another team that had extended winter seasons in basketball and swimming, rallied for a huge 6-5 win in eight innings over Tri-Valley last Thursday to take the No. 4 spot. The Hurricanes (4-0) also defeated Tamaqua, Wyomissing and Nativity thus far. Schuylkill Haven will be tested again this week, traveling to Kutztown on Monday, visiting Minersville on Tuesday, hosting Schuylkill Valley on Wednesday and entertaining Williams Valley on Thursday.

No. 5 Tri-Valley (2-2), No. 6 North Schuylkill (3-2) and No. 7 Tamaqua (3-3) round out the initial rankings. The Bulldogs are dealing with injuries and inexperience in a few spots, but they’ll be ready to roll by the time the playoffs arrive in May. North Schuylkill can club the ball 1-9 in its batting order, but the Spartans need to improve their pitching and defense to challenge the top teams. Tamaqua has several senior leaders as position players and is going mainly with two freshman pitchers. A 10-2 victory over Pottsville gave the Blue Raiders the nod in this poll over the Crimson Tide (4-2).

Look for the T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll each Monday.

T102 Sports Now Super 7 Softball Poll

(Through games played Saturday, March 29)

1. Pine Grove (4-0)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Lourdes (19-0, 3 inn.), W Tamaqua (7-0), W Whitehall (9-4)

This week’s schedule: at Pottsville (Tuesday), at North Schuylkill (Thursday), vs. Greater Nanticoke, Cardinal Classic (Saturday), vs. Williams Valley or Upper Perkiomen, Cardinal Classic (Saturday)

2. Williams Valley (5-0)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Halifax (14-4, 5 inn.), W Marian (10-0, 5 inn.), W Shenandoah Valley (23-0, 3 inn.), W Tri-Valley (7-5)

This week’s schedule: at Weatherly (Tuesday), at Schuylkill Haven (Thursday), vs. Upper Perkiomen, Cardinal Classic (Saturday), vs. Pine Grove or Greater Nanticoke, Cardinal Classic (Saturday)

3. Blue Mountain (4-1)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Panther Valley (15-0, 3 inn.), W North Schuylkill (11-3)

This week’s schedule: Mahanoy Area (Tuesday), Tamaqua (Thursday)

4. Schuylkill Haven (4-0)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Wyomissing (12-6), W Nativity (19-0, 4 inn.), W Tri-Valley (6-5, 8 inn.)

This week’s schedule: at Kutztown (Monday), at Minersville (Tuesday), Schuylkill Valley (Wednesday), Williams Valley (Thursday)

5. Tri-Valley (2-2)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Minersville (18-2, 5 inn.), L Schuylkill Haven (6-5, 8 inn.), L Williams Valley (7-5)

This week’s schedule: Nativity (Tuesday), Shenandoah Valley (Thursday), at Halifax (Saturday)

6. North Schuylkill (3-2)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Mahanoy Area (23-2, 5 inn.), L Blue Mountain (11-3)

This week’s schedule: at Panther Valley (Tuesday), Pine Grove (Thursday), Berwick (Saturday)

7. Tamaqua (3-3)

Last poll: NA

Last week’s results: W Pottsville (10-2), L Pine Grove (7-0), W Lincoln Leadership (17-1, 3 inn.)

This week’s schedule: Lourdes (Tuesday), at Blue Mountain (Thursday), at Lehighton (Friday)

—- Compiled by Bob Lipsky

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